God Will Never Forget You
Scripture — Isaiah 49:14-16 (NRSV)
But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,
my Lord has forgotten me.”
Can a woman forget her nursing child,
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.”
Focus
When life is hard, it can feel as if God has forgotten us. That’s what Israel experienced when they were overtaken by the Babylonians. In times when God seems distant, Scripture reassures us. Moreover, God’s people help us to sense God’s love and presence through their love and presence. We have the opportunity, indeed, the responsibility of sharing God’s love with those who are hurting and alone.
Devotion
Has it ever seemed to you as if God has forgotten you? Even if you know, in principle, that God will never forget you, you may have gone through seasons of life when it really felt as if God had forgotten you. Maybe you’re in such a time of life right now. In such times God can feel very, very far away.
If you have ever felt abandoned by God, then you can relate to how Israel felt during extended seasons of her life. As the people of God suffered for their persistent rebellion against the Lord, and as Jerusalem was left in ruins after the Babylonian invasion, how tempting it was for the people to say, “The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me” (49:14).
Yet such was not the case, no matter how much it felt like it. In Israel’s time of despair, the Lord brought comforting words. Using the tender image of a nursing mother who cannot forget her own baby, the Lord reassured the people. The Lord had not forgotten them. Indeed, God said their name was inscribed on God’s own hand as a permanent reminder (49:16). God would never forget them.
When we go through seasons of suffering, it can seem as if God has forgotten us. We cry out to God in our prayers, but they seem to echo unheard in an empty universe. We look for signs of God’s grace, but we just can’t find them. In these times, we hold on tight to the promises of Scripture. Even as God promised never to forget Israel, so Jesus said that he would be with us always (Matt 28:20). Through Christ, we believe that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:38-39). So, when it seems as if God has deserted us, we find solace and encouragement in the sure word of Scripture. Even as a mother cannot forget her own child, so God will never forget us.
Yet, sometimes even the Bible has a hard time penetrating our aching hearts. In such times God often uses people to bring reassurance and encouragement. I’m not thinking of those who offer shallow words of hope, like, “Oh, I’m sure everything will turn out all right.” Rather, I’m envisioning people who sit with us, listen to us, weep with us, and pray with us. Their love serves as a powerful reminder of God’s lovingkindness. Their presence makes God’s presence more real for us. Through them, we can hear the Lord say to us, “I will never forget you.”
Reflect
Have there been times in your life when it seemed as if God had forgotten you?
If so, how did you feel in those times? What did you do? Where did you find reassurance?
What helps you to know that God is with you, even in hard times?
Act
Do you know someone who is feeling far away from God today? Is there a way for you to reach out to that person with sensitivity and kindness?
Pray
Gracious God, thank you for this reassuring word to Israel . . . and to us. You know how hard it is for us when you seem far away. We know you have your reasons for making yourself less obvious to us, even and especially when we suffer. But it is tough to be on the receiving end of this treatment.
So, thank you for this passage of Scripture and so many others like it. Thank you for this word of comfort and hope. Thank you for the rock-solid fact that you will not forget us, that nothing can separate us from your love.
Today, Lord, I pray for those who are feeling distant from you, for those who are caught in despair. May they find reassurance in your Word. May your Spirit stir in their hearts so that they know you have not forgotten them . . .and never will. Show me, I pray, how I might make your love known to them in tangible ways. Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love.
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...